Alexander Valley Wine

Alexander Valley, part of Sonoma County in California, is named for pioneer Cyrus Alexander. A Pennsylvanian, he chased the gold rush to California and was hired by San Diego landowner Captain Henry Delano Fitch to survey ranch prospects. In 1840, Fitch secured a land grant from the Mexican government for Alexander to manage the Rancho Sotoyome, in what was then still a Mexican frontier. Among other crops, Alexander planted the first vineyard. By 1875, after more settlers came to the valley, more than 230 acres were devoted to vineyards.

But the crop that Alexander Valley was best known for up through the 1960s was prunes. However, because of their increasingly difficult cultivation and price competition, vineyards replaced most of the prunes. Alexander Valley gained AVA status in 1984. The cool climate region grows Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot for reds, and whites such as Chardonnay, Gewurtztraminer Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. ~Amanda Read more »

Alexander Valley, part of Sonoma County in California, is named for pioneer Cyrus Alexander. A Pennsylvanian, he chased the gold rush to California and was hired by San Diego landowner Captain Henry Delano Fitch to survey ranch prospects. In 1840, Fitch secured a land grant from the Mexican government for Alexander to manage the Rancho Sotoyome, in what was then still a Mexican frontier. Among other crops, Alexander planted the first vineyard. By 1875, after more settlers came to the valley, more than 230 acres were devoted to vineyards.

But the crop that Alexander Valley was best known for up through the 1960s was prunes. However, because of their increasingly difficult cultivation and price competition, vineyards replaced most of the prunes. Alexander Valley gained AVA status in 1984. The cool climate region grows Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot for reds, and whites such as Chardonnay, Gewurtztraminer Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. ~Amanda Schuster

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Opaque plum, with aromas of berry bramble, sweet wood and baking spices, flavors of boysenberries, black plums and black raspberries with spice. Good body and balance with a lingering finish. This is the best of this 2005 series.

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Big dill, vanilla and candied red cherry on the nose, with a touch of caramel and some nuanced white pepper. Nice feel right upfront with good acids and supple tannins -- in fact, the acid gives a very appealing sour red cherry/raspberry tone to the fr...

A potent, full bodied cab franc! I was presented with 10 to taste at work today and this was by far my favorite. Just being opened on my first taste, it was extremely concentrated and reminiscent of a young Cab Sauv. After letting it sit a few hours...